Happy Bloggiversary!

4 years ago on October 20, 2007, I took the leap and started my online jewelry blog.  I decided to just jump in, head first. All the cool kids were doing it. They were blogging, they were talking to an online audience about jewelry design, about their lives, their kids, their pets, their accomplishments, their struggles.
I remember thinking to myself back on that day, who the hell is going to want to read what I have to say?  But instead of thinking it was for the readers, I decided it was going to be for me, too. A place I could journal and if people found it, cool. If not, cool. I blogged for months before I started getting comments. I just kept at it. Finding topics to talk about in the beginning was tough at first but my love of art, Etsy, crafts, handbags, and then bead artists- I was not at a loss for topics like I thought I might be.
Slowly I started getting comments. I started creating relationships and friendships with readers. I started reading more and more blogs. I tried keeping it fresh, finding new artists and doing interviews with them on a blog that not many people knew about.  I shared beads and tips, and did a few video tutorials. I learned more and more about my camera. My love of photography blossomed and I began taking better pictures of my jewelry. Jewelry started selling. Customers started reading my blog.

FOUR years flew by and here I am, still blogging. Yesterday I reached a large milestone that I am quite proud of. 1000 followers.  People are actually reading what I have to say. And they come back. Every day!?! How amazing is that! I keep wondering how I got to this point in my jewelry career. But my friends remind me. I worked hard.  I am here because I worked hard to get here. It didn't just happen overnight. I sometimes forget because creating jewelry is what I love. And I hope that shows here.

I just want to thank you for coming to this place, Lorelei's blog. Thank you for following it and coming back on a weekly basis, or a monthly basis or a daily basis or an hourly basis. Whatever it is, that keeps you coming back-  I am happy you are here. Enjoying this place with me. Enjoying the passion for jewelry, beads, and artists, with me.  Sometimes I do not say it enough. Not because I am ungrateful, I just get caught up in my life. It's busy sometimes.  I want to be better at responding more to comments. I want to give more tutorials and share more knowledge and give more of myself to readers. I want to share my successes and encourage you all to work hard, and to create beautiful things. I want to say thank you, more.

I look up to so many different bloggers for so many different things. They all encourage me to be better, to work harder, to be more confident and live my craft. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing I've made some sort of difference. This isn't rocket science. I just make jewelry. I like to buy it, I like to wear it and I love to make it.  So thank you for being here with me while I do that.